CREATE - The Podcast

For today’s episode of the Let’s Meet for a Beer Podcast I’m teaming up with our good friends from Brightside. Brightside by ATB is a free banking app that helps you do more you - so you can save for and spend on the craft beer you enjoy. Just like our team at Alberta Beer Festivals, Brightside calls Alberta home and is proud to support great local breweries and businesses with their Friends with Benefits program. Today we’ll be chatting with Analog Brewing, one of Brightside's Friends with Benefits where Brightsiders can earn extra savings. 

Today I sat down with Bryan Launier and Adam Corsaut with Analog Brewing in Edmonton, Alberta.  Analog was created by two best friends from college with a love for craft beer/video games. While they both held different jobs throughout their lives they eventually got tired of the grind and sought out to do something that combined their passions of craft beer and being “massive nerds”. In 2018 their dream became a reality and Analog Brewing was born!

One thing you know as soon as you meet Bryan and Adam - they are authentic!  The video game themes aren't just a fun marketing gimmick, it is something that these two are truly passionate about.  What I love about the craft beer community is that I get to meet so many unique people who aren’t afraid to be themselves.  Sitting down for this podcast reminded me of that and I hope you enjoy the conversation.

More About Brightside:

Join Brightside and experience the banking app that helps you do more you. Download the app to sign up in minutes from your phone to get spending and saving - all for free. You can learn more about Brightside by ATB at hibrightside.ca. 

Brightside’s giving all you lucky listeners $30 when you sign up using the code BEER. Download the app, sign up and minutes and put that $30 to good use (let’s face it, we know you’ll likely use it on beer!)

Brightside: Download | Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

Let’s Meet For A Beer: Website | Twitter | Instagram

Alberta Beer Festivals: Website | Twitter | Instagram

For today’s episode of the Let’s Meet for a Beer Podcast I’m teaming up with our good friends from Brightside. Brightside by ATB is a free banking app that helps you do more you - so you can save for and spend on the craft beer you enjoy. Just like our team at Alberta Beer Festivals, Brightside calls Alberta home and is proud to support great local breweries and businesses with their Friends with Benefits program . Today we’ll be chatting with Town Square Brewery, one of Brightside's Friends with Benefits where Brightsiders can earn extra savings. 

Today I sat down with Brandon Boutin and Nik Kozub with Town Square Brewing in Edmonton, Alberta.  Brandon is one of the original founders of the brewery and describes it as his passion project.  Nik is their brewer as well as a musician and he approaches brewing with the same passion as he does to music.

The Town Square motto is “Brewing Change in Our Community'' and they built the brewery to be a safe place for everyone to gather.  The past year has been challenging for them but they remain hopeful for the future.  And what does the future look like for Town Square?  Well, they did give me a hint of what to expect as we toured and sampled some products from their emerging barrel program - and the future looks awesome!

More About Brightside:

Join Brightside and experience the banking app that helps you do more you. Download the app to sign up in minutes from your phone to get spending and saving - all for free. You can learn more about Brightside by ATB at hibrightside.ca. 

Brightside’s giving all you lucky listeners $30 when you sign up using the code BEER. Download the app, sign up and minutes and put that $30 to good use (let’s face it, we know you’ll likely use it on beer!)

Brightside: Download | Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

Let’s Meet For A Beer: Website | Twitter | Instagram

Alberta Beer Festivals: Website | Twitter | Instagram

Brightside and Alberta Beer Festivals have teamed up to create a unique podcast series showcasing unique craft breweries across Alberta.  I recently met up with Christie Pelehos and Michael Ulrich to learn more about Brightside and why they are excited to help showcase Edmonton Craft Breweries through this series. 

Our second series with Brightside focuses on Edmonton-based breweries that are involved with Brightside’s “Friends With Benefits” Program.  These podcasts feature conversations with the owners and brewers of Town Square Brewing, Analog Brewing, Alley Kat Brewing and SYC Brewing.  You will learn more about the breweries and how they make a positive difference in their community.

Stay tuned for a new series each month throughout the summer from Alberta Beer Festivals and our friends at Brightside.

More on Brightside:

• Join Brightside and experience the banking app that helps you do more. 
• Download the app to sign up in minutes from your phone to get spending and saving - all for free. 
• You can learn more about Brightside by ATB here. 
  • Brightside is giving all you lucky listeners $30 when you sign up using the code BEER. 
  • Download the app, sign up and minutes and put that $30 to good use (let’s face it, we know you’ll likely use it on beer!)
• Brightside: Download | Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
• Let’s Meet For A Beer: Website | Twitter | Instagram
• Alberta Beer Festivals: Website | Twitter | Instagram

This episode of the Let’s Meet for a Beer Podcast is part of a series that we created with our friends at Brightside.  Each episode in this series showcases a unique Calgary-based craft brewery that is part of Brightside’s “Friends With Benefits” Program.  

Today I sat down with Doug Hamilton, CEO, and co-founder of Inner City Brewing which is located in the beltline area of Calgary - two blocks from the Alberta Beer Festival office!  Before opening the brewery, Doug worked around the world as a Geologist for almost 30 years.  He has always been passionate about beer with the mind of an entrepreneur - so for his next adventure, he combined the two to help create Inner City Brewing.

On the podcast, we discuss the challenges of operating a new business during a pandemic.  Doug shares how the brewery was able to pivot (I know - I hate that word too) and credits his team, led by his fellow co-founder and Brewery GM Dave Bell, for their survival.  They built Inner City as a way to connect with people and are excited to bring back live music, and other community-minded events soon!

Our team has worked with Inner City Brewing on a number of projects, including Be The Brewer and Beerfest-In-A-Box.  It was great to connect with Doug and learn more about his journey - I hope you enjoy the conversation.

More on Brightside:

• Join Brightside and experience the banking app that helps you do more. Download the app to sign up in minutes from your phone to get spending and saving - all for free. 
• You can learn more about Brightside by ATB here. 
  • Brightside is giving all you lucky listeners $10 when you sign up using the code BEER. 
  • Download the app, sign up and minutes and put that $ 10 to good use (let’s face it, we know you’ll likely use it on beer!)
• Brightside: Download | Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
• Let’s Meet For A Beer: Website | Twitter | Instagram
• Alberta Beer Festivals: Website | Twitter | Instagram

This episode of the Let’s Meet for a Beer Podcast is part of a series that we created with our friends at Brightside.  Each episode in this series showcases a unique Calgary-based craft brewery that is part of Brightside’s “Friends With Benefits” Program.  

Today I sat down with sisters Jill and Tracy Johnson, who recently opened Bitter Sisters Brewing in Calgary, Alberta.  Before opening the brewery, Jill and Tracy were co-owners of Atlantic Trap and Gill for over 20 years.  I’m always curious about how siblings manage to build successful businesses together - so I had a lot of questions for them!

Bitter Sisters Brewing was opened for only a couple of months before the pandemic - so just the fact that they have survived is a success story!  They credit their success to the neighborhood that they serve and are amazed by the support that their neighbors have shown them.  Having a strong background in the restaurant industry, Jill and Tracy knew they needed to focus on high-quality beer and great food to ensure their success - and they have certainly accomplished both.

It’s great to connect with people who are living out their passion - and seeing them succeed as a family makes it even more special.  It was great to catch up with Jill and Tracy - I hope you enjoy our conversation!

More on Brightside:

• Join Brightside and experience the banking app that helps you do more. Download the app to sign up in minutes from your phone to get spending and saving - all for free. 
• You can learn more about Brightside by ATB here. 
  • Brightside is giving all you lucky listeners $10 when you sign up using the code BEER. 
  • Download the app, sign up and minutes and put that $ 10 to good use (let’s face it, we know you’ll likely use it on beer!)
• Brightside: Download | Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
• Let’s Meet For A Beer: Website | Twitter | Instagram
• Alberta Beer Festivals: Website | Twitter | Instagram

This episode of the Let’s Meet for a Beer Podcast is part of a series that we created with our friends at Brightside.  Each episode in this series showcases a unique Calgary-based craft brewery that is part of Brightside’s “Friends With Benefits” Program.  

Today I sat down with three of the four co-founders of The Dandy Brewing Company in Calgary, Alberta.  It’s hard to describe Dandy in a single sentence - they certainly aren’t your “typical” brewery.  The beer is amazing and the food is way beyond what you might expect.  What strikes me about them more than anything though is that they are still having fun - and they still laugh at each other's jokes!

I first met the crew from Dandy in 2014 - shortly after they opened their first location in northeast Calgary.  They had the smallest brewery I had ever visited but somehow managed to make an insane number of unique beers right from the start.  Today they are in their second location in Ramsey that features a much larger brewery and one of Calgary’s best restaurants.

It’s been challenging to connect with the guys from Dandy through the pandemic so it was nice to catch up on the podcast - I hope you enjoy the conversation.

More on Brightside:

• Join Brightside and experience the banking app that helps you do more. Download the app to sign up in minutes from your phone to get spending and saving - all for free. 
• You can learn more about Brightside by ATB here. 
  • Brightside is giving all you lucky listeners $10 when you sign up using the code BEER. 
  • Download the app, sign up and minutes and put that $ 10 to good use (let’s face it, we know you’ll likely use it on beer!)
• Brightside: Download | Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
• Let’s Meet For A Beer: Website | Twitter | Instagram
• Alberta Beer Festivals: Website | Twitter | Instagram

This episode of the Let’s Meet for a Beer Podcast is part of a series that we created with our friends at Brightside.  Each episode in this series showcases a unique Calgary-based craft brewery that is part of Brightside’s “Friends With Benefits” Program.  

Today I sat down with my friend Mike De Jonge, owner of Marda Loop Brewing to find out what led him to build the brewery, how his team has navigated the challenges of the current pandemic, and what his thoughts are on the future of the craft beer industry.

Mike, along with his wife (and mentor) Lolly, opened Marda Loop Brewery in 2018 to be a “second home” for the people and businesses in the neighborhood.  They have weathered the pandemic with the mantra “stick to what got us here” - which is community support, an amazing team and a willingness to embrace change.

Mike is an optimistic entrepreneur and it was great to learn more about his journey - I hope you enjoy our conversation.

More on Brightside:

• Join Brightside and experience the banking app that helps you do more. Download the app to sign up in minutes from your phone to get spending and saving - all for free. 
• You can learn more about Brightside by ATB here. 
  • Brightside is giving all you lucky listeners $10 when you sign up using the code BEER. 
  • Download the app, sign up and minutes and put that $ 10 to good use (let’s face it, we know you’ll likely use it on beer!)
• Brightside: Download | Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
• Let’s Meet For A Beer: Website | Twitter | Instagram
• Alberta Beer Festivals: Website | Twitter | Instagram

Brightside and Alberta Beer Festivals have teamed up to create a unique podcast series showcasing unique craft breweries across Alberta, so I met with Michael Ulrich to learn more about the series and Brightside.  

The first series (available today) focuses on Calgary-based breweries that are involved with Brightside’s “Friends With Benefits” Program.  These podcasts feature conversations with the founders of Marda Loop Brewing, The Dandy Brewing Company, Bitter Sisters Brewing and Inner City Brewing.  You will learn more about the breweries and how they make a positive difference in their community.

Stay tuned for a new series each month throughout the summer from Alberta Beer Festivals and our friends at Brightside.

More on Brightside:

• Join Brightside and experience the banking app that helps you do more. 
• Download the app to sign up in minutes from your phone to get spending and saving - all for free. 
• You can learn more about Brightside by ATB here. 
  • Brightside is giving all you lucky listeners $10 when you sign up using the code BEER. 
  • Download the app, sign up and minutes and put that $ 10 to good use (let’s face it, we know you’ll likely use it on beer!)
• Brightside: Download | Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
• Let’s Meet For A Beer: Website | Twitter | Instagram
• Alberta Beer Festivals: Website | Twitter | Instagram

On today’s episode of the Let’s Meet For a Beer Podcast, I met up with my friend Stephen Lowden - owner of The Pig & Duke Pubs in Calgary, Alberta.  With Alberta’s restaurants closing for the fourth time since the COVID-19 pandemic began, I wanted to get a sense of what the mood is behind the scenes and if there is still hope for the future of our hospitality industry.
Stephen has been in the restaurant industry for many years and has built a large network of friends from breweries and restaurants across Alberta.  Along with his wife Joanne, they built the Pig & Duke almost 10 years ago and have since added a second location.  Their team of employees is like family, which makes the constant shutdowns even harder for both them and their staff.

Stephen wears his heart on his sleeve and always speaks his mind - which makes him the perfect person to connect with to get the pulse of the industry.  We had a great conversation - I hope that you enjoy it!


Alberta Beer Festivals: website | twitter | instagram
Pig & Duke : website | twitter | instagram 

On today’s episode of the Let’s Meet For a Beer Podcast, I met up with Jen Rogers - Chief Awesome Officer, Brewer, and Founder of  Wild Winds Brewery. Jen has already had an amazing journey in the beer industry - she’s worked at Village Brewery, Last Best Brewery, Railyard Brewery, and back to Village.  Jen is now building her own brewery - Wild Winds Brewery - with her husband Tim in Pincher Creek, Alberta.  What’s even more impressive is that Jen only graduated from the Olds College Brewmaster Program in 2019 … with distinction of course!

Jen grew up in Newfoundland and moved to Alberta after graduating from Memorial University.  After working in Oil & Gas for years, Jen and her husband Tim decided to follow their dreams and start a brewery.  After years of research, additional education at Olds College, and practical experience at various craft breweries, they have finally secured financing and are ready to make their dreams come true!

Pincher Creek will be the home of Wild Winds Brewery, which Jen is hopeful will be operational in 2022.  They fell in love with the town while touring the province - and it sounds like the town is pretty excited to be home to a brewery soon too!  

With a passion for outdoor activities like snowboarding and hiking, Pincher Creek is the perfect basecamp for Jen and Tim.  I’m excited for their new adventure and grateful that Jen shared her story with me on the podcast - I hope you enjoy it!

Alberta Beer Festivals: website | twitter | instagram

Wild Winds Brewery : website | twitter | instagram